IN NIGERIA - World Pneumonia Day

SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM — SPOTLIGHTSNigeria Supreme Council for Islamic AffairsAbuja, NigeriaCreating Awareness on Childhood PneumoniaThe Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) sought to use WPD 2011 to gain supportfor pneumonia advocacy from religious leaders and spread pneumonia messages as widelyas possible.In one of the first major efforts to include religious leaders in pneumonia control, NSCIA organizedlectures at mosques throughout Abuja to teach both leaders and community membersabout pneumonia prevention and treatment.Sermons were delivered at six mosques around Abuja, and worshippers were asked to bring themessages home to their families and communities. Radio jingles about pneumonia were broadcastto surrounding states on Aso Radio (FM 93.5).NSCIA also called on the Nigerian Government to provide immunizations against commoncauses of childhood pneumonia. In response, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary HealthCare Board indicated interest in collaborating with NSCIA in the fight against pneumonia in ruralcommunities of FCT. In addition, the Health Human Services Secretariat promised to make vaccinesmore widely available in this area.Highlights:■ Over 18,050 people were reached by NSCIA World Pneumonia Day 2011 messages.■ 3,500 information, education, and communication materials were distributed.■ Religious leaders at six mosques committed to creating awareness of pneumonia.■ Radio jingles with pneumonia information were broadcast to 18 states.■ Connections between NSCIA and the government were built for the purpose of raisingawareness of pneumonia and increasing immunization coverage.LEFT: Worshippers from the six Area Councils listen to a lecture on pneumonia. RIGHT: Dr. Saddiq Abdulrahman of Health and Human Services Secretariat lectureson pneumonia.8 global coalition against child pneumonia